Working in the heat

For those who have to work outdoors or in roof cavities the summer heat can pose real danger. Here’s what to think about before you head to work this summer.

Heat related illness and death is a real and concerning risk for tradies.

While there’s no ‘stop work’ temperature in Australia it is an employer's responsibility to keep workers safe.

Outdoor work poses harm from exposure to the sun but working in inclosed spaces, such as roof cavities can be just as dangerous.

Ah, summer.

Time off relaxing in the sun (well, sometimes). Jumping in the pool, to cool off. Taking in the sea to enjoy the surf and catch some waves.

Sounds idyllic.

And, for the majority of the time – bar a week or two – it’s completely, totally and utterly unrealistic for any prolonged period of time. Because for most of us, summer means long, hot days working in high temperatures.

If you’re busy outdoors on site, you’re getting pounded by the blazing sun; if you’re crawling around cavities indoors, then you may be protected from the sun, but you’re confined in a virtual oven.

Puzzingly, there’s no restrictions regarding a ‘stop work’ temperature in Australia – the WHS laws just say that ‘any person conducting a business or undertaking must work to eliminate or minimise risks so far as is reasonably practical.

That may include canceling or rescheduling certain work tasks until conditions are cooler.

If you’re working in an office, regulating temperature is relatively straightforward. When you’re in the trades, it’s not that simple.

However, if you’re an employer, you’ve got a duty of care to your employees to provide a safe working environment. Common sense. It’s the name of the game.

THE RISKS – AND THINGS TO CONSIDER

Heat is risky business.

In Australia, at least 473 heat-related deaths were reported to a coroner in Australia in the 18 years from July 2000 to June 2018, while other research estimates that between 2006 and 2017, 36,000 deaths could be linked to the heat.

On site, the heat is problematic.

In nine years from 2005, 13 workers died after exposure to ‘environmental heat’.

A study into the impact on work-related injuries and illnesses found vulnerable groups to include: males, workers aged under 34 years, apprentice/trainee workers, labour-hire workers, those employed in medium and heavy strength occupations, and workers from outdoor and industrial sectors.

It’s the employer’s responsibility to ensure that staff are safe, so some key things to consider are:

Scheduling work to cooler parts of the day
Minimising physical effort requirements
Performing work in safer locations
Ensuring workers have access to cool fresh water
Air-conditioning or fans (if possible)
Access to shade for outside work

Of course, it’s important to know what your state’s union’s agreement is regarding working in hot weather conditions.

For example, CEPU South Australia says that at temperatures of 35oC, work in exposed areas should cease, and if it reaches 37oC, work in all exposed and less exposed areas should stop. And those less exposed areas can get hotter than the outdoors.

Indeed, the National Electrical and Communications Association says, “Fatigue resulting from heat stress can produce exceptionally dangerous situations, particularly when people are in roof spaces and restricted areas.”

So, as you get set for summer, don’t forget to take proper precautions.

The heat can quite literally be a killer.

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